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How to Use Test Data

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Ruth Kusterer

Test steps often rely on data parameters, such as menu item names, usernames, or numeric values. You can hard-code these values or parameterize your test cases with different variable values.

 

How can I parameterize my test data?

If you choose to parameterize your tests, you have the following options:

or any combination of these data sources.

 

When to choose which option?

  • If your test data is a list of fixed values, or has dependencies between columns, the best solution is to collect this data in spreadsheet columns and attach the CSV file to the test. 

  • If you need dynamic test data, generate it synthetically. Generated test data looks like real or random data, but you have full control over its form, and you don't have to collect it yourself. You generate data using Test Data Generator Functions.
    • Synthetic test data is advantageous in tests where you need dynamic parameter values, such as relative date stamps ("today" or "last month"), fake but valid credit card numbers, random but plausible names, and so on.
    • BlazeMeter additionally helps you avoid invalid values: The included functions don't generate dates such as February 31, names such as asdf%as'df, nor credit card numbers with invalid checksums. 

  • If you use the CA Test Data Manager product and its Find & Reserve feature, BlazeMeter offers TDM integration to access your TDM F&R Models to load test data from multiple sources.

 

How to add Data Entities?

A Data Entity is a container for test data. You can Still add data from other sources, such as CSV files or synthetic test data, later.

GUI Functional tests currently support one Data Entity only. Performance tests support multiple Data Entities.

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To add a Data Entity to a Performance test, follow these steps:

  1. Click Test Data to open the Test Data panel.
  2. Click either the big blue Plus button or click TEST DATA... > Add Data Entity.
    Choose one of the following options:
    • Create New Data Entity. Use this option to manually add Data Parameters. Give the Data Entity a descriptive, unique name. 
    • Create New Data Entity From CVS File. Select a CSV file with test data from your file system.
    • Load Data Entity From Workspace. Select a shared Data Entity that is stored in your workspace. 
    • Import Data Entity From Exported File. Use this option to create a new data entity from a previously exported file. 
  3. Click Add.

 

 

How to share or back up test data?

For each data entity, use the Ellipsis menu next to its name to manage it:

  • Use the Ellipsis menu to Rename or Remove Data Entities from the test. If you don't save them, removed Data Entities are also deleted from the Workspace.

  • To export any Data Entity as a spreadsheet so you could import it, for example, into MS Excel, use the Ellipsis menu and select ... > Download Data As CSV.

  • To share a Data Entity with your team, use the Ellipsis menu and select ... > Save to Workspace. To use a shared Data Entity in your test, select ... > Load From Workspace.
  • To make local backups, use the Ellipsis menu and select ... > Export to File. To restore a Data Entity from such an exported file, select ... > Import From File. For more information, see How to Share Test Data.

 

How to manage CSV files?

Expand the Data Entity and hover the mouse over a CSV file entity in the data entity to access the following buttons:

  • Download CSV
  • Edit CSV
  • Delete CSV

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How to insert Data Parameters into tests?

Note: If you are using the GUI Functional Test debugger, click Stop to close the debugger before defining new test data.

  1. Open a Test and go to the Configuration tab.
  2. Click Test Data.
    A panel with data entities opens on the right side.
  3. Click the Plus sign and create a parameter.
    To initialize the parameter, choose one of the following procedures:
  4. Click Copy Parameter Name to Clipboard. 
    The clipboard now contains a string such as ${address}.
    mceclip0.png
  5. Return to the test configuration and edit the appropriate test step. For a GUI Functional test, edit a test step in the Scriptless Editor. For a performance test, edit a HTTP Request field in JMeter.
  6. Replace a hard-coded value with the pasted parameter. 
    Example: In a GUI Functional Test, paste the parameter as a value into a test action.
    mceclip1.png
  7. Click Run Test in the left column to execute the test.

BlazeMeter now uses test data driven by your loaded Data Entities and replaces Data parameters in the test with your chosen dynamic values.

 

How to manage Data Parameters?

Parameter names have to be unique across all Data Entities in your test. If two parameters have the same name, one will override the other in an arbitrary order. Therefore, especially after uploading CSV files, review the loaded parameter names in the Test Data Management panel, and rename them, if needed.

For quick edits in the Test Data panel, hover the mouse over a parameter definition to show the editor buttons.

The four buttons have the following functionalities, from left to right:

  • Copy Parameter Name to Clipboard so you can paste it easily into the test definition.
  • Preview one instance of generated data. Click again to toggle back to the function view.
  • Edit this parameter definition to change the parameter name, the function, or its arguments.
  • Delete this parameter. If the deleted parameter is in use in a scenario step, the step will break.

To view and edit Data Parameters of all Data Entities, click TEST DATA... > Manage Data Entities. 

  1. Expand a Data Entity in the list
  2. On the Data Parameters tab, select a Data Parameter from the list.
    Details appears in the right panel
  3. You can edit the following properties
    • Parameter Name
      Editing the name here updates it in all tests that use this Data Parameter.
    • Parameter Value.
      Enter either a static (hard-coded) string or number, or select a data generator function: 
      1. Enter a term to search a suitable function.
        Example: rand, day, date, credit, SSN, CSV, JSON. Lorem, seedlist, regexp, etc.
      2. Click a function name to preview its manual page, its arguments and examples.
      3. Hover the mouse over a function name and click Insert Function.
        The empty function is inserted with the caret between the parentheses.
        Example:         randInt()
      4. Fill in the required arguments as shown in the examples. 
        Example:         randInt(18,99)
  4. BlazeMeter auto-saves your changes when you leave a field.

Tip: If you start typing into the value field, BlazeMeter starts suggesting a list of know functions to insert. The shortcut to view the list of functions for parameter values is ctrl-space. For more information about functions, see also Test Data Generator Functions.

 

How to preview test data?

Before a test run, you can preview your test data in the Test Data panel by clicking Iterations (for GUI Functional Tests) or Data Settings (for Performance Tests and Mock Services), respectively.

After a test run, go to the History tab, open the test Report, and go to the Summary tab. Under Test Data, click Show Test Data to review which data was used. Here you can also click the Rerun button to run this test again with the same test data, which can be useful for debugging.

 

How to control the number of iterations?

When test data is generated by functions and not hard-coded, it is available at any quantity. When you load test data from CSV files, you choose whether you want to use all rows or a subset. The number of rows of test data corresponds to the number of iterations of a GUI Functional test, so while debugging, you maybe prefer only 1 iteration.

To control how many rows of test data are used in a test, configure the test iteration settings.

 

How to resolve data definition errors?

No data can be generated as long as there are errors in the data definition. Errors include missing or misspelled arguments of generator functions, missing mandatory values, inappropriate data types (such as entering text where a number is expected), unpaired quotation marks or parentheses, missing files, and so on.

Errors are clearly indicated by the inline validator in the Test Data panel, so you can address each warning immediately. If you have loaded a Data Model that contains multiple errors, an error bar will indicate the number of issues to address before data can be generated. Click the number in the error bar to review a detailed list of detected issues and a description of the error. Then click each listed data parameter or data entity to quickly navigate to the item to fix it.

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